Memories of Pain
by Skullblade
Summary: What goes on when the Akatsuki is gone? When only Pein is left? Takes place after the Jiraiya/Pein fight if Pein hadn't won.
1. True Artists

Memories of Pain

All was silent in the building directly in the center of Amegakure. The villagers were confused. Around this time of day, they usually heard explosions and loud cursing issuing forth from the God's Skyscraper/Home. But the place seemed empty, almost like it was abandoned. As per usual, it was raining heavily.

Hours passed, yet the Rain God didn't come out to address the people that day, as he did every day. The villagers started to wonder if something bad had happened to the man who liked to dress in black cloaks with red clouds on them. But… it couldn't be. The storm didn't recede one bit.

Suddenly a man with orange hair, wearing a familiar cloak to the people of the Rain Village appeared, coming from the place loud explosions had been coming from earlier. The villagers calmed down. Their God was still fit to walk through the city. Then there sense of unease got stronger. When the god took a walk through the city in the past, he had always been accompanied by the blue-haired angel. She was missing. The second clue to something being wrong, was that his cloak was partially shredded, and a red substance was dripping down his face. It looked almost as if his piercings had been forcibly ripped out, because the familiar silver glint was gone.

The Head of the Rain Ninja rushed up to him. "My lord! Are you all right? Where's your Lady?"

The orange-haired man ignored him. He just kept walking towards the building. He was limping badly. He steadily opened the door with his left arm, though his right was closer to the door. The head ninja started to go after him again, but the rain started to pour hard enough to drill through someone's head around the building. No one would be following the orange-haired god.

It was completely silent in the building. The man looked around through his remaining eye. **Is this Akatsuki Headquarters? Is this my home? It's so… cold and uninviting. It wasn't usually this dark, or this silent.**

The man raised his head to the ceiling. "Tobi. Hidan. Deidara. Itachi. Kisame. Sasori. Kakuzu. Orochimaru, even you. Zetsu.." He looked to his feet. "Konan. Some of you were here longer than others, but… I still remember you all, as if we were always together." He looked to the stairs. **Whose room had been the newest? **He ascended the stairs, going up only one floor. There was only one door. It was marked _**"Sasori and Deidara" **_It was burned from what appeared to be many explosions. He looked to the left and right, as if assuring himself no one was there, then walked in.

You could tell which half had been Sasori's. It was covered from head to toe with puppets, puppet parts, there was even what appeared to be his favorite puppet, Hiruko's, head mounted on the wall. The man took it down, and gazed at it. Oh how it brought back memories. He remembered the day so well.

………………………………………………………………………………..

The red-haired boy was running through the desert. He looked for all the world as if a shinigami was after him. He ran all day, and he ran all night, as if he would never get tired. He crossed borders, and saw something unfamiliar to him. He saw trees.

No matter where he turned, he saw trees as far as the eye could see. He couldn't tell which way was North, South, East, or West. He was lost.

"How am I supposed to get to the Lightning Country now? I need to get as far away from Suna as possible! I hope Grandma doesn't find me."

An orange-haired man and a blue-haired woman watched from a nearby tree. The woman turned to the man. "Leader-sama. Will he do?"

"I don't know, Konan. He's awfully young."

"So? We were once too. Need I remind you how powerful we were, even as children?"

"Fine. But we have to test him first."

The red-haired boy spun around. "Who's there? I can hear you! Come out!"

The man and woman froze. He had heard them. The man smiled. "Well, Konan, there's nothing for it but to show ourselves." He jumped down from their tree. Konan quickly followed.

The boy was confused. He had never seen such strange garb as what these two were wearing. They wore cloaks, emblazoned with crimson clouds. "Who are you."

The man grinned. "We are Akatsuki."

The boy's face spread in alarm. The Akatsuki? The mysterious group who were kidnapping, stealing, and spreading fear throughout the Land of Shinobi? He had to do something. But what…! His scroll! He reached for the scroll upon his back, and spread it open. These people would never get past this!

The man's eyes spread in curiosity as a hundred puppets burst into being. Most prominent of these was a scorpion-like thing. It seemed to be the boys favorite, for he had climbed up on it's back.

The Leader of Akatsuki didn't so much as blink. But when the boy did, a horrifying sight met his eyes. His puppets had been demolished.

Konan looked to the Leader. "Did he pass?"

"Indeed he did. Hey! Little boy. What are you running for?"

"I r-ran away from home."

"May I ask why?"

"Because I had turned the Sandaime Kazekage into a puppet!" The boy beamed with pride.

"Is that so? You beat who was said to be the strongest Kage Suna ever knew?"

"He wasn't so tough. My father could have creamed him!"

"And your father was…?"

"He was…!" The boy's face fell. "I don't really remember."

"May I ask your name?"

"I am Akasuna no Sasori. Sasori of the Red Sand."

"Well, Sasori, how would you like to be under the protection of the Akatsuki. As the newest member."

Sasori gasped. "Become a member of the Akatsuki! I thought only S-ranked criminals could join!"

The Leader;s brow furrowed. "You aren't S-ranked? I thought you killed the Third Kazekage?"

Sasori shuffled his feet. "Well… no one exactly knows _who _killed him. Does this mean I can't join?"

The Leader laughed. "Oh no. You can still join. We are still small in number, and we need ten. Now Sasori, let's head to our hideout to get you your cloak, ring, and partner."

The leader lifted his cloak, wrapped Sasori in it, and disappeared.

Konan smiled. It would be like having a son. She then vanished too.

…………………………………………………………………………

The Leader set the puppet head down. He turned to the other half of the room. Like Sasori's, you could tell exactly who had lived there. It had a workbench covered in clay, and the bed was covered in ashes. He ignored these, instead going to the closet. He opened it, and saw the artist's greatest creation. It was a sculpture of three people. He smiled as he remembered the day he had first seen the clay used to make it.

………………………………………………………………………………

An artist, hard at work at his workbench, let loose a stream of cursing. "No matter how hard I try, I just can't make what I want! Maybe I should blow up another house…"

"Do you really need to do that, Deidara?"

The blond-haired artist spun around. "How did you get into my workshop?!"

A tall man with orange hair and piercings, and a shorter man that had odd-colored skin, both wearing red cloaks, stood in the doorway. "It would take more than a few explosives to keep us out."

"But I put a C4 in that hallway! How did I not hear it?"

The short man snorted. "You wouldn't have heard a dragon swooping down on your house! Do you have any idea how loud that explosion was! I'm still temporarily deaf!"

The orange-haired man sighed. "As my friend Sasori here said, we're amazed you didn't know we were here."

"Well… what do you want?! I'm busy!"

"We want you to join a little group of ours. You may have heard of it. We are Akatsuki."

"Hmm…not interested."

The man smiled. "Oh yes. You see, that wasn't an offer."

"Wh-what?" Deidara blinked, and knew no more.

"Sasori, gather up his clay. We can't let an artist go without his tools, can we?" The Leader grabbed Deidara's hand. He immediately wished he hadn't.

"Did… did he just lick me?" Sure enough, there were mouth's on the artist's hands. "Well, that just makes this guy more interesting. "Let's go Sasori." He picked up the artist, and walked out the door.

Sasori soon followed. "Leader-sama, you'd better not make this idiot my partner."

………………………………………………………………………

The sculpture was of three people. One was a long-haired artist. Another was a short-haired boy. The third had an odd mask with a spiral on it. The sculpture was labeled, **Friends. **Leader smiled. He picked up a note next to it. It read:

**Dear Leader-sama,**

**If you have this letter, it is most likely that I have died. I know it will happen one day, and I know that I'll go out with a bang. Me and Sasori have talked about what we want done with our stuff when we're both gone. As this note is likely still right next to the sculpture, unless Tobi moved it, you can tell what we want done. **

**The Greatest Artist Ever Known,**

**Deidara**

**Last Will and Testament**

**P.S. Art is a bang!**

The Leader smiled. He remembered when Deidara had first started that sculpture.

……………………………………………………………………….

It was 1 o'clock in the morning. There shouldn't have been anyone yelling loudly that early in the morning. That didn't stop Sasori and Deidara.

"I say art should be fleeting, like an explosion!"

"And I say it should be eternal, like a puppet!"

This was followed by several loud blasts.

The Leader groaned. How could Konan sleep through this? He looked to his right and saw her, sleeping peacefully. He sighed. He may as well listen to their argument. He wouldn't be sleeping now.

"Deidara, why do we argue like this? You'd think we'd wake the entire rain country with our shouts!"

The Leader shook his head. Not the rain country, but this man certainly was!

"I'm not really sure. Maybe I'm just mad because you were one of the ones who kidnapped me."

"You don't yell at the leader."

"Would _you _yell at him?"

Sasori chuckled. "Too true. Too true. You know Deidara, all these years we've been partners, and all we do is argue over art."

"And I've never actually seen your face. What? Did you think it wasn't obvious that that was puppet? Sasori, normal humans don't have scorpion tails."

"Normal humans don't have mouths on their hands."

"I know, I'm aware of that. But I kind of want to see you. I mean, what do you hide? Are you ugly or something?"

"If you want to know that badly, I'll show you."

The Leader blinked. Was Sasori actually about to come out of his puppet? To Deidara of all people?

Deidara gasped. "You! You're a Bishie!"

"Was it that unbelievable?"

"Wait right there Sasori. I need to get my clay. I need to remember this!"

"You know something Deidara?"

"Yes Sasori?"

"You're my best friend here."

"As are you mine, Sasori."

"And Deidara?"

"Yes?"

"This conversation never happened."

The Leader smiled. It happened alright.

…………………………………………………………………………….

He gazed at the statue, made by a true artist. He knew what Sasori and Deidara wanted him to do. He retreated from the closet, and lay the clay sculpture in the middle of the room. He took some of Sasori's puppet parts, and lit them on fire. He thought of the death of Sasori.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"My grandson, how long has it been since you felt your parent's embrace?"

Sasori stood motionless, shocked at seeing his parent's puppet remains. They held swords in their hands. They moved forward, and hugged him, while stabbing him in the heart.

"… My friend, I think I see what you were talking about. I was my masterpiece, yet even I didn't last forever. Goodbye Deidara. You were the true artist." His eyes stopped moving, stuck in an emotionless stare.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

The Leader lowered the burning arm he was holding to the sculpture. It caught fire. He turned and quickly left the room. And then Deidara. Living just as his art. Beautiful, deadly, and fleeting.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Deidara stood glaring at the raven-haired boy in front of him. "Uchiha Sasuke. You killed Orochimaru. My friend's old partner. He had wanted to kill him by himself, and since he died, it was passed to me. As both his student and his killer, you are what I must avenge for Sasori."

"So what? Who needs friends?"

Deidara laughed. "You have seen my art already. But you haven't seen my second-greatest work!" He ripped off what remained of his shirt.

Sasuke looked in disgust.

Deidara had a mouth on his chest. It was sewn shut. Deidara pulled some clay out of his bag, while tearing the thread out of his mouth. "I'm sorry Tobi. But you're good at running away. Maybe you're far enough." He stuffed the clay into the mouth. "My most destructive bomb! In will take out everything in a ten-mile radius!"

Sasuke's eyes got bigger.

Deidara's flesh began to bulge. It got bigger, and bigger. Deidara laughed. "Art is a bang!" The explosion ended his life. He went out with a bang.

……………………………………………………………………………

The Leader closed the door. Sasori and Deidara. The artists of Akatsuki.All traces of their existence disappeared in a flash of light.

**Please Read and Review, I worked hard on this chapter.**


	2. Jashin's Will

_**Memories of Pain**_

The leader left the smoldering room and climbed the stairs once more. He skipped some floors, and finally stopped in the brightest hallway he had seen. That was because of the stained-glass window next to the only door. It showed a triangle in a circle. The door was marked, _**Hidan and Kakuzu: $5 Toll.**_

Reaching into his pocket, the Leader pulled out the $5. No one could enter this room without paying. Needless to say, Hidan slept on the couch more often than not.

The door (Which would have shattered by tapping it) fell over. Kakuzu never paid to put hinges on it.

This room was utter chaos, yet the greatest order. One side of the room was covered with all sorts of weapons, clothes, and a suspicious red substance. The other was organized into colors, shape, size, and weight, which meant only Kakuzu knew where anything was in the neat stacks.

Kakuzu. The greedy old man with the heart of stone… and fire, wind, water, and lightning. Pein remembered when the oldest member of the group had still been human…

……………………………………………………………………………….

The man ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Kaz was fleeing in terror from the mob, all of people from the Village Hidden in the Waterfall.

"Burn him! He has caused this horrible blight on our land!"

Kaz ran straight into a wall. He scrambled against the wall helplessly. "You can't do this! It's inhumane! It's crazy! It's… not cost effective!"

"Kaz, you know what you did can't be reversed. You stole our country's greatest treasure, the Hero Water, then sold it to anyone who would pay! You killed everyone who drank from it! You were only caught because you offered some to our foreign diplomat!" A man with black hair nodded.

"I was only doing it for the money!"

"We know, Kaz. Now die." The mob threw a torch toward the cowering man. He lit up almost instantly.

Many thoughts raced through Kaz's head. Why does it hurt. Why can't I see anything. Why was my money useless. With this last, greedy thought, Kaz forever ceased to be.

……………………………………………………………….

"**Wake now, tiny mortal."**

Kaz opened his eyes. What he saw disturbed him. The land around him was completely engulfed in flame. Cities burning, people screaming. Kaz knew exactly where he was. He was in Hell.

"**Mortal, look at me."**

Kaz turned his head toward the voice, and saw something very out of place in this hellish world. It was a man. But a more beautiful being, Kaz had never seen. This man had long, black hair, and wore the kind of suit worn only to funerals. This was contrasted by the large grin on his face.

"**Kaz. Do you know why I am meeting you?"**

Kaz shook his head. The man smirked.

"**You are with me for one reason, and one reason alone. You, Kaz, have a very powerful soul. I would… like to make a deal."**

Kaz's interest was caught. "What kind of deal?"

"**Simple. More power and wealth than you can imagine, all for a very low price! Your soul." **A contract materialized in the man's hand. **"Just sign here, and all your troubles will disappear."**

Kaz considered in for about a second. "…Do you have a pen?"

……………………………………………………………………..

The mob started to walk away from the fire, slightly more satisfied than before. Kaz's body was gone, there was no chance of escape.

Unbeknownst to them, a tall figure rose from the flame. "Hello, gentleman, I owe you something."

The mob turned in fear toward the voice. What they saw terrified them. A phantom of a man, with glowing green eyes and dead-looking skin stood in the flame.

The being opened it's mouth, and a single black strand emerged. "And I always pay back my debts."

Without warning, he materialized in the crowd, and started the slaughter. The screams of absolute fear spurred him on, until there was only one member of the mob was left.

The man cowered against the wall, exactly as Kaz did only minutes before.

"Times are changing, money equals power in this world. And I'm the richest man alive."

"You can't do this Kaz!" He suddenly threw a metal spear he found on the ground, right and the phantom's heart. He watched in disbelief as the spear shattered against the monster's skin.

"Watch me, Shodai Hokage." From every orifice on his body, black tendrils burst forth. They rushed at the man, stabbing into his skin. With his dying breath, he uttered one last message.

"Kaz… Why?"

The figure closed his eyes, and started laughing. "There is no more Kaz. Only Kakuzu." He then ripped the man's heart from his body.

……………………………………………………………………………………

**70 Years Later…**

From the shadows, the one called Kakuzu could see a red-haired man, walking alone.

"Excellent, I haven't had a target in weeks."

Kakuzu prepared for jumping at the man, when he heard a name he hadn't heard in a long time.

"So you are Kakuzu… once known as Kaz."

Kakuzu released his threads immediately. "Who are you, to know that name?!" A pain Kakuzu never felt before gripped at his chest.

"I am the Leader of Akatsuki."

Kakuzu laughed. "What, do you want me to join your little club, fool?"

Pein smiled. "Actually, I didn't come for that. You, my friend, are a threat to us. You've killed some important… associates of ours."

Kakuzu glared at him. "I have a good memory, and if I remember correctly, Akatsuki is very poor, correct?"

Pein frowned. "How did you get that information?"

"I have my ways. Now, I have a proposition for you. If I give you the money you so sorely need, you let me join in your little group."

"Why would I do that?"

"Simple. 5 years Akatsuki has existed, yet you have no money. You need someone that's good with money."

Pein considered it for a second. "Deal."

Kakuzu felt one thing. This felt similar to that time. That deal. As if he was selling his soul to someone who didn't really need it in the first place.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Pein closed his eyes for a second. Now, memories of the other occupant of this room came flooding back.

………………………………………………………………………………..

"F$#!" The silver-haired man cursed loudly, having just paid $100 dollars for one shirt. "I wish these weren't so damn expensive… the blood really doesn't come off, and they tear so easily!"

The merchant glared coldly at him. "Take it or leave it."

"F$#!"

He got to one knee, and looked toward the sky. "Jashin-sama, who, in all your cruelty, gave me eternal life, forgive me, Hidan, for what I must do now!" Hidan got up, pulled a dagger out of his pocket, and stabbed the merchant in the eye. Quick as a flash, he pinned the man's limbs to the floor, and brutally executed him.

"F$#!" Hidan pulled the shirt over his head. "I have to wear pink, and that's not kosher!"

Kakuzu looked at Pein like he was insane. "You want this NUTJOB to be part of our group!?"

"Oh, quiet Kakuzu. He's a priest. Why do you hate them so?"

"I don't hate priests. But HE is a Jashinist."

"What difference does it make?"

"None at all. Now, if we have to have him, let's get him now. Just being in this shopping center is draining our budget."

Hidan decided now would be a good time to pray. "MUST FIND SACRIFICES!" He then tore off the ugly pink shirt.

With this, his head was cut clean off.

"F$#!"

Pein took command. "I'll carry the body. You get the head. Careful, he's a biter."

"Where the F$# are you taking me, F$#ers!? DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!"

Kakuzu then picked up Hidan's head, and was immediately bitten. He was unaffected. Hidan, however…

"Shit! What the damn hell is your F$#in' skin made of, F$#in' diamond?! You broke one of my damn teeth! JASHIN-SAMA! PLEASE SMITE DOWN THESE, WHO HAVE ASSAULTED ONE OF YOUR PRIESTS!"

Kakzuzu sighed. This would be a long day.

……………………………………………………………………

Pein closed his eyes. Hidan. The only one who was still alive. The Greedy, old coot, and the immortal priest. I can see why Kisame dubbed them 'The Zombie Brothers'.

……………………………………………………………………………..

"#$$$$$$$#$$$$$$FDRDERVE$$TFC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Kakuzu glared at his partner. That was the longest one yet. Hidan got testy when he was decapitated. "HOW THE HELL DO YOU TALK WITH NO LUNGS!?"

"I'm not the one who gave me my damn immortality! Only one person knows how it works!"

"… Hidan, if I tell you a story, will you shut up, and stop swearing and killing on this mission?"

"… I'll think about it. What's the story."

Kakuzu set Hidan's head on a rock. "It's an old Jashinist's Tale. I doubt you've heard it. It's about a man named…well, we'll call him Desu for now. Anyway…"

-several minutes later-

Hidan's eyes were popping out of their sockets. "Jashin-sama helped this man that much!?"

Kakuzu nodded. "This was many, many years ago, before you were born. Now… will you stop swearing and killing?"

"…I'll stop killing."

"Good enough." The threads sewed the Jashinist's head back on his body.

"Thanks for the story, Kakuzu."

"You're welcome."

…………………………………………………………………………..

After this event, Hidan showed Kakuzu a lot more respect. Only Pein (and Hidan) knew why. Though most members didn't know it, Kakuzu's loss had been more severe than anyone else's.

…………………………………………………………………………..

"Rasenshuriken!"

Kakuzu's pain had never been greater before. 4 of his hearts were destroyed, the 5th on the brink of failure.

"My money… my life… my partner. All that I had in this life, I have lost forever. Is money really power? No… it can't be. I've spent my entire life with useless pieces of paper… And along with that, I can't join Hidan in Heaven… if he ever actually dies… hehehe."

The mysterious masked ninja, with one red eye stood above him. "It's time to die now."

Kakuzu closed his eyes. "Go ahead, make it fast. I don't have all day to lie here dying."

"Very well." Energy started to gather in the ninja's hand.

"Lightning Blade!"

………………………………………………………………………

Pein wondered if Hidan could actually die.

………………………………………………………………………..

Hidan stared up at the top of the hole, the kid named Shikamaru staring down at him. "You won't live nonbeliever! Jashin is the greatest authority, and I am his most loyal priest! You won't live forever! I'll see you again!"

Shikamaru just stared at him, and said: "Shut up." And dropped a lit cigarette on an exploding tag.

As the rock came down, Hidan let loose one finally curse. "F$# you!"

………………………………………………………………………………

Hidan entered a kind of meditative state. This was his world, his mind. Only he had ever set foot in here.

A familiar man stood by him. Hidan smirked. "So, Kakuzu, you actually died against those losers?"

"Oh shut up. I'm not the one who was defeated by a damn cigarette."

"Yeah, yeah, …well? What's gonna happen to you?"

"Oh, it turns out the my old buddy Desu has more influence than he knew. He's partnered right to the head of the organization."

"Kakuzu?"

"Yes, Hidan?"

"I heard that story before. Only his name wasn't Desu. You want to hear what you left out?"

……………………………………………………………………………..

"**The pen is right here, all you have to do is sign."**

Kaz looked at the contract. "Hey the fine print says…"

"**If his name is that you speak, the old god's will is yours to keep. If you ever discover my name, and speak it at our next meeting, you'll get half of everything."**

"I don't suppose you'd tell me know, sparing me the trouble?"

"**There's only one way to find it out."**

Kakuzu signed the contract. "Oh. Fine then. But, before I leave, I have something to ask you. What is your name?"

The man smiled. **"People commonly call me God. You may call me..."**

………………………………………………………………………………….

Pein spoke out the words as if Hidan was just telling the story. "Jashin."

Pein smiled. In the end, both of them were content. All that was left… was to make sure Kakuzu's will was found.

Pein read the will, one last time.

_**I, Kakuzu, emissary of the Great and Holy Jashin, hereby leave all my fortune to the homeless, orphans, and those who just plain need it.**_


End file.
